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27 July 2012

Movie Confessions Blogathon

What classic movie don't you like/can't enjoy? Why?
Don't like GONE WITH THE WIND (1939). Not a huge fan of CASABLANCA (1942) because I think it's just slightly overrated. I also struggle with really strongly anti-feminist films. I didn't used to, but now any version of Taming of the Shrew, for example, really bugs me. This is why I often avoid 1950s movies. Didn't like LIFE WITH FATHER (1947) or PLEASE DON'T EAT THE DAISIES (1960) or PICNIC (1955) all because of this. It can be a shame sometimes, because I think the movies are probably valuable in their own right, but I just find it hard to enjoy them if they either show a very limited, too traditional representation of women, or if the female characters are not drawn realistically.



Which ten classic movies haven't you seen yet?
I dunno - I haven't seen them! Actually, I'm pretty sure there are so many that I could never list them all here. But here are the ones I can think of at the moment.
MORNING BECOMES ELECTRA (1947)
THE GHOST AND MRS. MUIR (1947)
THE SEARCHERS (1956)
THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH (1955)
JEZEBEL (1938)
PSYCHO (1960)
JUDGEMENT AT NUREMBERG (1961)
IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME (1949)
SERGEANT YORK (1941)
STELLA DALLAS (1937)

Have you ever sneaked into another movie at the cinema?
Guilty. I do this all the time. What can I say - I don't get paid enough and movie prices are a gyp anyway. Am I going to get arrested now?

Which actor/actress do you think is overrated?
Meryl Streep. And Clark Gable. Two very different performers, both overrated.

From which big director have you never seen any movie? Why?
You know, I really couldn't say. I only seem to remember the names of the directors I have seen. There certainly isn't anyone I'm deliberately avoiding.

Which movie do you love, but is generally hated?
I like good movies. There are some lesser-known movies that I like. For some reason, I'm crazy about SPITFIRE (1934) - Katharine Hepburn as a hillbilly, imagine that! I also like A WOMAN REBELS (1936) for its feminist undertones. Not too many people have seen either of these films. If you have, I'd love to hear your impressions.

Have you ever been "one of those annoying people" at the cinema?
Only if the movie is really stupid and everyone in the theatre would be better off doing something else anyway.

Do you ever watch a movie that you know will be bad, just because a specific actor/actress is in it?
All the time. I've seen every Katharine Hepburn movie and a lot of them are rubbish, I can tell you! Like DRAGON SEED (1944) - who's idea was it to have Hepburn from Hartford play an Asian? I also saw COWBOYS AND ALIENS (2011) just because Harrison Ford was in it.

Did you ever not watch a movie because it had subtitles?
No - I love foreign film.

Are there any movies in your collection that you have had more than five years and never watched?
A friend gave me REPULSION (1965) for Christmas several years ago and I haven't gotten around to it yet. It doesn't look like a very happy movie.

What are the worst movies in your collection and why do you still own them?
I've got some pretty obscure Hepburn films that I don't pull out very often, but I can't get rid of them, can I? I need to have the canon, even if so many of them are rubbish. I might need them someday. Someone will say, "Margaret, do you have ----" and I'll feel like an idiot if I can't reply, "Why, yes, of course I do!"

Do you have any confessions about your movie-watching setup at home?
No. I usually have tea when I watch movies, but it isn't compulsory.

Any other confessions?
Nope, I'm clean. 

26 comments:

  1. I loved this concept, Margaret! I have many confessions, too (although not loving Casablanca is NOT one of them...).

    I totally understand your struggles with sexist undertones in movies, even when you know the context. We just watched "A League of their Own" the other night, and I was horrified at the sexism - especially because the way it was directed, it did not come across as something regrettable about the past, but rather as normal or, worse, encourageable. And this movie was supposed to be somewhat feminist! Deeply frustrating, and I have to say I really didn't enjoy it, despite how hard I tried.

    Also, it's nice to see that other people have movies on their shelves they've never watched, too!

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    1. Thank you for your thoughts. I've never had a problem with League of Their Own in that way because I've always seen it as an empowering film and I love Gina Davis, but it's been a while since I revisited it. Maybe I should give it another look. Thanks for reading and commenting on this post!

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    2. Next time I'm we get together, we can watch League again. If I remember right, Tom Hanks is a bit of a jerk in that film. Definitely worth a revisit. Love you!

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  2. Casablanca was one of my first classic films, and I loved it. But now that I've watched more classics (granted, not Oz, guilty) it really doesn't strike me as mesmerising as others do.

    Psycho is not my favorite Hitchcock, though it is hum... peculiar. So you should see it!

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    1. You gotta see Oz - essential! But thanks for the tip about Psycho. I'll get on that asap!

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  3. I kind of understand why some people can't stand GWTW, but CASABLANCA?? I actually just saw it not too long ago for the first time on the big screen and I could see why it's so beloved. The dialog is pretty witty, too, lots of quotable lines on that one.

    Glad you mentioned Meryl Streep as being overrated. I was hoping Viola Davis to take home the Oscar this year.

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  4. Nice confessions here.

    Oooh you MUST see Psycho. One of my all time favorites. Cowboys and Aliens was really bad, wasn’t it?

    And Repulsion… definitely check that one out soon.

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    1. It was terrible - the kind of terrible I like because Harrison Ford is in it! Thanks for reading!

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    2. my review of Cowboys and Aliens: http://margaretperrymovies.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/cowboys-and-aliens.html

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  5. I also have my confessions: I didn't like Life with Father (I'm too much a feminist!). I haven't watched The Searchers, Jezevel and The Seven Year Itch. Not even The Best Years of Our Livs :(
    And Kate Hepburn was the only reason I watched The Dragon Seed. Now, three years later, the film was never shown again on TV.

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    1. Same with me on Dragon Seed. I own it, but if I ever watch it again, I'll probably just skip to the Hepburn scenes! Thanks for commenting!

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  6. I gotta say - I LOVED Casablanca and Gone with the Wind. I've not seen (gasp) Chariots of Fire or Inception. Good movie or bad movie - if Cary Grant or Humphrey Bogart are in it, I'll watch!

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  7. I think I might have erased my post...if this is a double - sorry.

    I adore Gone with the Wind and Casablanca. I've not seen (gasp) Chariots of Fire.

    If Bogey or Cary Grant are in a movie....I'll watch it!

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    1. I liked GWTW and Casablanca when I first saw them, but GWTW is so long and sad and Casablanca is just a teensy bit overrated. Agreed that Cary Grant and/or Bogart make any movie worth seeing!

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  8. As you mentioned on my site your confessions make me feel better, slightly. I don't generally care for Clark Gable but after watching his pre-Code work (which is VASTLY different from the work he did after he was famous) I've grown to appreciate his style. I too get a lot of flak for not liking certain films due to their anti-feminist context although I do own Picnic but haven't watched it yet. Might see if I feel differently than you. And OMG Cowboys and Aliens is garbage but I paid good money to see that in theater purely because Daniel Craig in a vest = perfection!

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    1. Yeah, I was thinking I need to look into some of Gable's pre-code stuff, just to get a different view of his work.
      Did you watch the Olympics opening ceremony? The bit with Daniel Craig was PRICELESS! Queen: "Hello, Mr. Bond."

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  9. I have always felt a bit guilty that I like Woody Allen bette in PLAY IT AGAIN SAM rather than watching CASABLANCA. It is one of those that I feel I should like more than I do!

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    1. Yeah, ditto. Thanks for reading my confessions!

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  10. I love this idea of confessing... I confess that I cannot stand "The Postman Rings Twice" with Lana Turner.

    Believe it or not, I feel better having stated that publicly.

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    1. I agree - I wasn't thrilled with that film. But at least I can say I've seen it now. Thanks for commenting!

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  11. Dropped by to say I gave an award, Margaret! here it is: http://filmflare.blogspot.pt/2012/07/blog-award.html

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    1. Uh oh! This should be interesting. Thanks for the award!

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  12. I signed up to follow your blog as soon as you admitted to sneaking into movies a lot. :-)

    Also Psycho is great you should check that out ASAP

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    1. Haha! Thanks - I was surprised how many supposed film fans pay for all their tickets! I simply cannot afford my flick habit. Thanks for commenting!

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  13. I really enjoyed this post, albeit a bit late. I purposely put off watching Casablanca for years because I didn't think it could live up to the hype. However, I was pleasantly surprised by that film. The classic I can't stand is My Man Godfrey. I love William Powell, but Carole Lombard grates on my nerves. In fact, I think she is a very overrated actress.

    I recently watched Spitfire for the first time and I have to admit, there is something likeable about it. I know it's far fetched for Kate to play a hilbilly, but she manages to make it work without looking too ridiculous.

    And by the way if you haven't yet seen The Ghost and Mrs. Muir or Stella Dallas you really should!

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    1. I just watched Casablanca last night - it's corny but some great classic lines come from that movie ("Of all the gin joints in all the town in the whole word, she walks into mine" - so sexy!).
      Miss Hepburn was pretty ashamed of agreeing to do Spitfire, but I still love it.
      Both of those movies are still on my list; thanks for recommending them!

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Can't wait to hear your thoughts!

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